Flash-light display rack



1936- I I o P. STORCH 2,028,026

FLASHLIGHT DISPLAY RACK Filed July 7, '1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

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A TTORNE Y5.

Jan. 14, 1936. 5 R STORCH I 2,028,026

FLASH L IGHT DISPLAY RACK Filed J11 7, 19s Sheets-Sheet 2 43 v I 10 a WW h 2W4} Z J4 H .4 1 j 1 .7. g m 11 l 5 4 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES 2,028,026 FLASH-LIGHT DISPLAY RACK Otto Peter Storch, Ozone Park, N. Y., assignor to The United States Printing & Lithograph Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Ohio Application July 7, 1933, Serial No. 679,416

8 Claims.

play racks, and has more particular relation toimprovements in the so-called knock-down display racks constructed of heavy cardboard or the like, and intended for convenient shipping in a knock-down condition, but susceptible of being easily and quickly erected into a display condition by the ultimate user.

An object of the present invention is to provide a knock=down display rack which may be set up to hold a series of merchandise articles independently supported so that they may be viewed on all sides by the prospective purchaser without handling the same. 7

, A further object of the invention is to provide a display rack which will independently hold a series of articles fully displayed and prevent the removal of such articles without considerable effort and thus protect them against unlawful removal.

A further object of the invention is to construct from a flat strip or" cardboard a display rack which when opened out to receive the merchandise will give a visual impression of solidity and merchandise itself.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a shipping and display rack of the type mentioned which interlocks in all of its relations, when set up, to form a rigid substantial structure.

Y The invention also has other objects, all of which will be hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawings accompanying this specification,

Figure 1 represents a top plan view of the main blank of the improved rack after being formed.

Figure 2 represents a detail top plan view of the lower notched support.

Figure 3 represents a top plan view of the assembled rack.

Figure 4 represents a front elevation of the same, partly broken away to decrease the size of the display panel.

Figure 5 represents a detail vertical section showing the'interlockin'g of the vertical bracing wings with the horizontal notched supports.

Figure 6 represents a detail side elevation of one of the slotted supporting lugs formed on the display and interlocking back of the rack, and

Figure 7 represents a detail vertical section of a portion of the supporting base showing the deep scoring for allowing a hinge action between the base and back. 1

bulk, accentuated by the arrangement of the 7 Described in general terms, the device comprises a blank I, stamped from straw-board, cardboard, or the like and formed with cut-out central vertical braces ll-ll which may be turned at right angles to the back It].

The blankl is scored along the line 4-4 so that the supporting base 2 may be doubled at a light-angle to theback ID. The blank I is further scored along the line 2 l-2| so that the upper notched support 20 may be turned at right angles to the back II] to extend practically in the same are as the base 2.

The periphery of the support 20 is formed with -a series of circular notches 23 which are extended far enough towards the edge to fonn looking noses 25; the distance between each pair of these noses being less than the diameter of the circle forming the notch so: that when an article of merchandise is forced between the noses 25, it will snap into the notch 23 and be restrained against withdrawal except by employing force and slightly bending the noses 25.

By this means when. the articles of merchandise are finally snapped into the notches 23 and thefnotches 28 hereinafter described, they are firmly held against unlawful removal and at the same time are sufliciently spaced to enable a prospective purchaser to fullyexamine the article on practically all sides.

The supporting segment 20', best shown in Figures 2 and 4, is formed with notches 28 by projecting fingers 26 having noses 29 similar to the noses 25. The formation and location of each pair of noses 29 is identical with those in the upper holding segment so that long articles of merchandise may be snapped into both the upper notches 23 and the lower notches 28 to hold them in vertical display positions.

In the present instance, these articles of merchandise are flash-lights which because of their elongated shapes are particularly adapted to be efiiciently displayed in a display rack of this type. The segmental structures of the supports 20 and 20 hold the flash-lights so that there is the least sight obstruction between adjoining lamps. The segment 20' is formed with hook projections 33 having noses 34 and slots 35. These projections 33 are passed through horizontal slots l6 formed in the back I and then removed slightly to the right which causes the noses 34 to lock back of the back I. The segment 20' is formed at its rear with a recess having sidewalls 30 and a curved wall 3|. 'Where these walls adjoin, notches 3| are formed. When the segment 20' is placed in position as above described the two hinged flaps l I, which are scored vertically along the lines l2, are bent forward until the walls of slots l5 of flaps ll engage the walls of the notches 3|, the flaps meantime passing along the curved edge 3| so as to snap into the notches. This results in the flap 20' being supported in position by the flap II and these latter being also held in position by the segment 20. Lugs [4 are also formed on the flaps H so that when these flaps are bent at right angles to the back I and the base 2 bent forward along the line 44, they may enter slots 1 formed in a securing and supporting flap 5 which is scored along the 'line 6-6 to allow this flap to be bent at right angles to the base.

When the segment 20 is bent at right angles to the back I, it rests upon the top edges of the flaps H and is held in position thereon by lugs 4! formed on the bottom of a display sign 4!]. These lugs are formed with vertical slots 42 and when the lugs are passed through the slots 24 formed in the segment 28 and the walls of the slots 42 are engaged with the walls of vertical slots I3, the whole upper structure is held firmly in position and the segment 26 prevented from moving up even before the merchandise is placed in position.

When the particular merchandise display here shown as being displayed is placed in the notches in the upper and lower holding segments, they form additional braces for these segments and hold the entire structure rigidly together. The rear portion of the segment 20' adjoining the edge 3| rests upon the top of a supporting and locking flap 5 when the parts are in position.

It will be further seen that after the flaps H and 5 are interlocked that the edges 30 will bear against the sides of the flaps H which will prevent any side movement of the segment 29 such as would disengage the noses 34 from the back. As the flaps II are prevented from having any side movement by the lugs Hi, it is apparent that the entire device is interlocked in such manner that it cannot be accidentally knocked-down, and that in order to disassemble the parts, the flap 5 must be first pulled forward to disengage it from the lugs M. The sign 40 is next removed and the braces H bent into the position shown in Figure 1. This has the efiect of releasing the segment 28' so that it may be moved to the left and the noses 34 disengaged from the back I and the lugs 33 drawn out of the slots Hi.

What I claim is: V

1. In a display rack, the combination with a blank having a back, a base and a notched section for receiving merchandise, of a second notched merchandise receiving section having projections attached to the back and spaced from the first section and braces on the back extending forward to' hold the spaced notched sections in parallel positions.

2. In a display rack, the combination with a blank having a slotted back, a hinged base,-

hinged locking braces and a hinged and notched merchandise receiving section, of a detachable and notched merchandise receiving section having hooks projecting through the back slots and locked in position by the hinged braces on the back and a vertically extending section interlocking the upper notched section with the hinged braces to hold the latter extended in bracing positions.

3. In a display rack, the combination with a blank having a back, a base and a hinged'and notched merchandise receiving section, of hinged holding and spacing braces on the back, a hinged locking and supporting flap on the base and a. detachable and notched merchandise receiving section engaging the back and held in spaced relation with the companion merchandise section by the hinged holding braces and supported by the base flap.

l. In a display rack, the combination with a blank having a back, a base and a hinged and notched merchandise receiving section, of a detachable and notched merchandise receiving section for engagement with the back, and spacing means on the back and on the base for holding the detachable notched section in position and parallel with the hinged merchandise holding section.

5. In a display rack, the combination with a blank having a back, a base and a hinged and notched merchandise receiving section, of a second lower notched merchandise receiving section detachably secured to the back, hinged braces on the back for spacing the notched merchandise sections against displacement and a separate vertically extending flap on the base engaging both the lower notched section and the hinged braces to hold the braces extended in spaced positions.

6. In a display rack, the combination with a blank having a slotted back, a base hinged thereto, a hinged and notched merchandise receiving section and hinged braces connected to the back and base respectively, an independent notched merchandise receiving section having hooks which are passed through the slots in the back and which is engaged by the hinged braces to hold the hooks in interlocking engagement with the back.

'7. In a display rack, the combination with a single blank having a back, a hinged base with a hinged and slotted locking flap therein and a hinged and notched merchandise receiving section and hinged locking braces having locking lugs, of an independent notched merchandise receiving section having projections for engagement with the back and held in such engagement by the locking braces with the brace lugs in engagement with the slots of the locking flap.

8. In a display rack, the combination with a blank having a back, provided with hinged holding braces to be bent at right-angles thereto, and a hinged and notched section for receiving one end of a piece of merchandise, a base hinged to the back, a detachable notched merchandise holder holding the opposite end of a piece of merchandise having devices for attaching it to the back and held in position on the back by the hinged braces, and holding means on the bottom co-operating with and securing the holding braces.

OTTO PETER STORCH. 

